US2344009A - Box handle and latch - Google Patents

Description

Mardi 14, 1944. W, TROGMAN l 2,344,009

BOX HANDLE AND LATCH Filed June 6, 1942 fa Zim?! Will To/9mm 1N ENTOR.

Patented Mar. 14, y1944 UNITED STATES PATENT QFFICE 2,344,009 l BOX HANDLE AND LATCH William Trogman, Chicago, Ill. YApplication June 6, 1942, Serial No. 446,066

6 Claims, 4(Cl. 229552) This inventionrelates to boxes and more particularly to a box handle and latch of an improved construction having as its principal object the provision of a unitary handle and latch which will be simple in structure, economical in manufacture and highly efcient in use.

Anotherv object of this invention is the provision in one-piece folding boxes of a handle for holding overlapping portions of the box in register with each other and a novel latch for holding the handle in gripping position and simultaneously latching the overlapping portions of the box in registry with each other.

A further object of my invention is the provisionoff a handle and latch which will coact lwiththe portion of a box to be associated therewith as to rigidify that portion of the box in the co-urse of the function as a handle and latch therefor.

Other advantages and novel aspects of the invention reside in certain details of `construction which will become more apparent as the description proceeds in the light of the drawing, in which:

. Fig, 1 is a side elevational view of the handle andlatch comprising` my invention;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a one-piece fold- .ing box showing the handle and latch compris- Alatch in the course of being disposed in locking position with respect to the box; and

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary cross sectional detail ,taken along line 6-6 in Fig. 4 and showing the handle in readiness for gripping. As shown in the drawing, my invention is adapted'for use in one-piece folding boxes generally indicated at ID and comprising a receptacle portion II having a cover I2 therefor integrally formed therewith and adapted to swing into closed relation with respect tc the receptacle il. Each of the portions II and I2 are provided with end walls II' and I2 respectively and with top walls I3 and I4 respectively, which walls, when the box Ill is closed, are disposed in overlapping relation with respect to each other. In

the form of box shown, the receptacle and cover have a common bottom wall I5 which may be two overlapping Walls joined by staples or the like in a manner well known in the art, the main object being that the cover I2 be hinge'dly connected to thebox so as to swing with respect thereto.

Heretofore in thefboxmakin'g art, 'it has been the custom to apply a handle means to the box for the purpose of carrying the latter. It has also been the custom to provide separate latch The present invention contemplates the lpro-v vision of an improved combined handle and latch requiring less material and providing a more unitary construction which ywill -lend rigidity to the box assembly as Well as provide a more simple box carrying and locking means.

In carrying out my improvement I provide 'a unitary handle and latch means generally indicated as member I6. The handle and latch is formed from a single piece of bendable or pliable material, preferably a light gauge metal. In structure it comprises a main rib I'I having Aa looped mid section I8 lto provide opstanding arms I9 with a central or handle portion 20 extending therebetween. The rib I'I extends substantially the length of the box with which itis to be associated and is provided, a substantial distan-ce inward of its ends, with upwardly extending lugs 2 I formed integrally with the rib I1.

The box IIJ is made to conform to the purposes and intent of my new handle constrnction. This is done by providing in the central area of the top wall I3 of the receptacle Ii an Velongated s lot 22 through which may be extended the handle portion 22 of the member I6. Also formed in the top wall I3 are a pair of latching slots 23 and these slots are in axial alignment with the longitudinal axis .of the .elongated s191512 .end are spaced therefrom a distance commensurate with .the distance between the hridlinfthe lugs 2I of the `member I6 so that the lugs`2.I will t into and through the Slotsi- The wp w21-11 .I.4. 01f the ,Cov r porti@ L2 of i12@ box is likewise fonmed to be adaptedY to the new handle and latch member t6, Tor-thisgend .the

I3. f l -Y It will be noted that my improved construction,

a central tongue 24 flanked by two recesses 25 extending from the free edge I4' of the wall I4 (left edge as seen indrawing) a distance sufficient to expose the slot 22 when the wall I4 is in overlapping relation with respect to the wall I3. A pair of latching slots 25 are formed in the wall I4 in axial alignment with the base of the recesses 25 and are spaced therefrom so as to register with the latching slots 23 when the wall I4 is in overlapping relation` with respect to the walll3 (seeFigsjand 5),

When it is desired to associatethe combined handle and latch with the box, the handle por-4 the underside of the wall I3 (Fig. 2) Thisdone, a iiap 21 which` is integrallyformed on .the handle the fibre structure in the most vital part of the 'box (around the handle) Having thus described my invention and its relation to the specic type of box shown I do not desire to be restricted to the precise details recited but desire to avail myself of all variations and modifications of the invention coming within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. A combined handle andlatch for folding box structures having a pair of overlapping top walls, said handle and latch comprising in combination elongated slots formed in each of the top walls of said box and a pair of latching slots Iaxially valigned with said elongated slot on the l top walls and in spaced relation therefrom, each is bent out Vof normal alignment'withtheup-" standing arms I9,` the flap 21 being suitablyscored; as `at 28 to facilitate such bending in the desired place. The handle 20 may then be released and ltwillbelprevented ,fromgdropping through the slot v2 2 `byreasonof the lateral projection of the flap .21'. Inrthis condition the handle and latch member I'6 will besuspended from the top wall I3 with the, lugs 2| beneath saidwall. The covel` I2 is then swung into closing relation with'V respect to the receptacle portion II of the box (Fig. 3,), the

tongue 24, being slid beneaththe flap 2'I while the .recessesgzembracethe upstanding arms I9 of the handle;

finit-nis .condition the next step drawing the, latter upwardfso that the lugs 2| adjacent :theends ofthe vrib I1 will extend through thej aligned 01g registering latching slots 23-26 Eachwof the lugs 2l,'in order to provide ray locking prong, is split down its vertical arisesA at 29 Vf'orrl 'sheep to the .base of the lug,

thus providing a pair of prongs 3U and 3I. The

lugs t2|.have their base connectionwith the rib Il scored so 4as tofacilitatebendinglof the prongs 33T-f3 I; and each offthe latter are bent as seen in Figsivl and 5, in opposite'. directions ywith respect to each other. j

By this arrangement of'two-way 'locking prongs at each end of themember ,I 6, the handle proper is held -in normalI hand-receiving condition Yat all times and simultaneously Athe covered 2 Vand.- re- 'ceptaclek II `are locked with respect to each other in a single unitary operation. Theflap 2I is nished'by bending it back upon the handleportion whereby to `rigidify. the handle portion ,20 and render the latter V-less susceptible to bending or buckling under fa load. This arrangement maintains rigidity in the entirehandle and latch inember I6 and assures the axial alignment of the rib I'I` at ,all times so las'to hold the latter in uniform relationA with the bottom of the top wall bearing in addition to providing a-combined handle` and latch, also reinforces the joined top walls AI3 'and I4 of the box by reason of ythe ridge pole effect of the rib I'I tending to distribute the load concentrated at the handle 20 uniformly along the entire top wall of the box. This renders the box more durable and prevents unsightly bulges along the ,top wall which otherwise, after-constant flexing by reason of the stride of the person carrying 'the box,r 'would weaken and finally break down of said slots being disposed to register with each other 4when the top walls are in overlapping relation, a member including a main rib having a looped midsection providing a handle portion, a

-pair of two-way latching prongs formed on the upper edge of said rib adjacent Vits end, said handle portion extending through said elongated slots and said latching prongs extending through ltheir respective latching slots with said rib bearing against thev underside of said overlapping walls, and means facilitating the bending of said latching prongs in opposite directions over the latching slots whereby to simultaneously hold the 'handle insaid elongated slots and to lock said overlapping top walls with respect to each other. 2. In` a device of the class described for use in 'axial alignment therewith with the latching slots in one of said top walls adapted to register with lthe corresponding latching slots in the other one of said walls, and handle and latch means for said box and comprising an elongated rib subr stantially equal to vthe length of said top walls and bearing upwardly against the undersideof the latter, an inverted U shaped mids'ection on said rib. and extending through said elongated slot to provide a handle, a pair of split prongs formed integrally along the upper edge of said `rib a predetermined distance from said U shaped :midsection and extending through said latching slots and adapted to be bent overupon said overlapping top walls-to maintain the said handle and latch means'in the position aforesaid and to lock said overlapping top-walls with respect toeach other. .Y

' `3. In aI foldingY box comprising a'receptacle andra cover'therefor joinedalong their bottom ywall forV swinging movement relative to each `slot formed adjacent its ends with said slots all in axial? alignmentwith respect to each other and the c'orrespondingslots` ofthe respective flanges adapted toregister with each other, means providing a handle and latch for said folding box aridcomprising,'in combination, a ridge pole formed `ofsheet material and'providing an up- 1wardly'extendinginverted U section and a pair vof upwardly extending lug formations adjacent =its ends and in verticalfalignment with said latchthereagainst, said inverted U portion extending Y through said elongated slots to provide a central hand hold and said lug formations extending through said latching slots to provide a means for simultaneously locking said box and for maintaining said ridge pole in the aforementioned relation to said top flanges.

4. In a folding box comprising a receptacle and a cover therefor joined along their bottom wall for swinging movement relative to each other and each having side and top anges adapted to be disposed in overlapping relation when the receptacle and cover are in closed condition and each of said top flanges having a slot formation in its midsection and a latching slot formed adjacent its ends with said slots al1 in axial alignment with respect to each other and the corresponding slots of the respective flanges adapted to register With each other, means providing a handle and latch for said folding box and comprising in combination a ridge pole formed of sheet material and providing an upwardly extending inverted U portion at its midsection and a pair of upwardly extending lug formations adjacent its end and in vertical alignment With said latching slots, said ridge pole being disposed beneath said overlapping top anges and bearing irmly thereagainst, said inverted U portion extending through said elongated slots to provide a central hand hold and said lug formations extending through said latching slots to provide a means for simultaneously locking said box and for maintaining said ridge pole in the aforementioned relation to said top flanges, said last named means comprising a vertical slit in said lug formation providing twoway locking prongs and scoring along the base of said lugs whereby to facilitate a disposal of said two-way locking prongs to alternately overlie said top anges of said box.

5. In a combined handle and latch for folding box structures and comprising a load bearing rib adapted to be disposed within the box, an upwardly extending offset central portion on said rib and adapted to extend through a central opening in said box and latching means formed adjacent the ends of said rib, said latching means each comprising an upwardly extending split lug adapted to extend through aligned openings in said box and having crease lines along their base to facilitate right-angular bends of said split lugs for holding said central portion in extended condition relative to said central opening.

6. In a combined handle and latch for folding box structures and comprising a load bearing rib adapted to be disposed Within the box, an up Wardly extending offset central portion on said rib and adapted to extend through an opening formed in a wall of said box and latching means formed adjacent the ends of said rib, said latching means each comprising an upwardly extending split lug adapted to extend through aligned openings in said box and having crease lines along their base to facilitate right-angular bends of said split lugs for securing said load bearing rib against the underside of said Wall of vsaid box, and a flap formation on said offset central portion and adapted to` be bent back upon the latter to rigidify the same and provide a smooth finger-receiving portion for said handle.

WILLIAM TROGMAN.

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